Ginger Pork Rolls with Eggplant

Ingredients:

• 1 medium eggplant (I use a skinny long Chinese eggplant)
• 1 pkg thinly sliced pork for shabu shabu
• ¼ cup (4 Tbsp.) corn starch
• 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
• ½ tsp. Miso
• 4 Shiso leaves, chiffonaded
• Yuzu Kosho (optional)
Seasonings
• 1½ Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1½ Tbsp. Mirin
• 1 tsp. sugar
• ½ tsp. grated ginger

Instructions:

1. Peel the eggplant and chop the skin into small pieces, then soak it in water. Cut the eggplant into 1 ½ inch sticks (see picture below) and also soak in water for 5 minutes.
2. Wrap 2 eggplant sticks with a piece of sliced pork.

3. Sprinkle half of corn starch on the pork rolls and spread over the meat. Then turn the pork rolls and spread the remaining of corn starch on the pork rolls. Remove excess.

4. In a large non-stick frying pan, heat sesame oil on medium heat. Cook the pork rolls until all the sides are golden browned.

5. Cook covered for 3 minutes on medium-low heat. Poke the eggplant to see if it’s cooked through. Then add seasonings.

6. Coat the meat well by rotating the pork rolls, for 2-3 more minutes. Then transfer only pork rolls onto a platter.

7. In the same pan, cook the eggplant skins on medium heat. When they are soft, add miso and mix well. Cook covered on medium-low heat for a minute.

8. Put the eggplant skins over the pork rolls and garnish Shiso leaves. If you like it spicy, dip in Yuzu Kosho to eat.